Ficus elastica plant named Sylvie

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of Ficus elastica plant Sylvie, particularly characterized by its green to dark green marking along the midribs of the leaves surrounded by a white-yellow to white color to the leaf margins. In new leaves the surrounding color is white-yellow, with such color turning to white as the leaf matures. The surrounding color comprises about 50% of the leaf surface. In between the white surrounding and the dark green irregular marking along the midrib is a color combination of lighter green to grey.

The present invention comprisea a new and distinct cultivar of Ficuselastica, known by the cultivar name Sylvie.

Sylvie is a mutation discovered by the inventor Rene G. M. A. Denis ingreenhouses in Lochristi-Beervelde, Belgium in 1989. The new cultivarwas discovered growing among plants of the parent cultivar Ficuselastica `Belga` (hereafter Belga), and was recognized due to itsspecial leaf color. The parent cultivar Belga was propagated in Belgiumfor many decades, and is understood by the inventor to be the varietydisclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,220.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Sylvie was accomplished bytissue culture later in 1989 in a laboratory in Lochristi-Beervelde,Belgium by applicant. Horticultural examination of Sylvie hasdemonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosedfor the new cultivar are firmly fixed and are retained throughsuccessive generations of asexual reproduction, which can be performedby cuttings in addition to tissue culture.

Sylvie has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity, and daylength,without, however, any variation in genotype. The following observations,measurements and comparisons describe plants grown inLochristi-Beervelde, Belgium, under greenhouse conditions which closelyapproximate those generally used in horticultural practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed to be characteristicswhich in combination distinguish Sylvie from other varieties of Ficuselastica with which the inventor is familiar.

1. The leaf color of `Sylvie` is white to light yellow, with dark greenvariegation of varying dimension from the midrib to both sides. The leafcolor can be compared with the parent `Belga`, which is also white, butthe amount of white color in Sylvie is much larger compared to thegreen, which results in a totally different plant. `Sylvie` also differsin this respect from other varieties of Ficus elastica with whichapplicant is familiar.

2. New leaves have more white-yellow surroundings, which turn to whitefor older leaves. Older leaves which are not exposed totally to light,or plants which are cultivated too dark, occasionally have brown spotson the white surrounding have of the leaves. This can only be avoided bygiving the plant enough light during culture time and also afterwards.

3. Sylvie has a green to dark green irregular marking along the midrib,which is similar in color to other known Ficus elastica cultivars havingvariegated leaves. However where this marking comprises 90 to 95% of theleaf surface of the parent `Belga`, the marking of `Sylvie` isrestricted to approximately 50% of the leaf surface. Thus, where thewhite color of Belga is restricted to marginal variegation of the leaf,the white color of `Sylvie` comprises a dominating color of the leaf.Such dominance of the surrounding color of marginal variegation iscomparable to Ficus benjamina Starlight, but the color is distinctlydifferent.

4. In between the white surrounding and the dark green irregular markingalong the mibrib, there is a color combination of lighter green to grey,which is divided just near or in between the darker green.

5. The combination of 50% white and 50% darker green only occurs 4 to 6leaves after multiplication. First leaves after cutting are more greenand less white.

6. The color of the midrib is red to red-pink, and can be distinguishedclearly from the dark green marking in the middle of the leaves.

All color references are measured against The Royal HorticulturalSociety Color Chart. Color may vary somewhat depending on horticulturalpractices such as light level, temperature, and fertilization rate,among others.

The accompanying color photographic drawings illustrate a typicalspecimen plant of Sylvie, with photographic color depicting true colorsto the extent possible with reproductions of this type. The photo onsheet 1 shows a plant with several leaves which possess at differentstages the unique variegation of the new cultivar. The photo at the topof sheet 2 illustrates the white-yellow surrounding color of youngleaves. The photo at the bottom of sheet 2 shows three different natureleaves showing various degrees white to gray/green variegation.

Origin: Mutation discovered among tissue culture of Ficus elasticaBelga.

Classification: Ficus elastica c.v. Sylvie.

Propagation: By cuttings or tissue culture. By taking cuttings fromcuttings, plants turn more and more to white after several generations,which results in a slower growing plant. This is avoided by using tissuecultured plants as mother plants. By regularly changing mother stock andby limiting the quantity cut from one mother plant, uniformity ofpropagative plants is established, and plants continue growing well.

Plant: The plant has the usual Ficus elastica shape. The main stem isvertically upright, with the branches being at an angle of 45° to 60°.Ramification is rare, except with tissue cultured plants. Whenpropagated by cuttings, ramification occurs only on older plants whoseheight is 80 to 100 cm, or more. Young parts of the stem are light greenin color and start to cork quickly from the bases of the petiole.Corking then continues from the lenticells with a design of verticalribbons. Lenticells are spread, vertical to oval, and light green with ared-brown point.

Growth: The general appearance and growing habit of Sylvie correspondsto either varieties of the species. However, due to larger areas ofwhite in the leaves and therefore less chlorophyll, Sylvie is a slowergrower than Belga or Ficus elastica Tricolor disclosed in U.S Plant Pat.No. 4,069 (FIGS. 5A and 5B).

Leaves:

Shape.--Elliptic to acuminate with a rather long pointed tip.

Form.--Elliptic to acuminate with a rather long pointed top, thick andleathery. Sylvie has a more round leaf, compared to the generally ovalshaped leaves of Belga and Tricolor.

Size.--18 to 24 cm long, 9 to 15 cm wide.

Margin.--Smooth.

Aspect.--The surface of the leaf is slightly undulating or wavy.

Texture.--Slightly glossy, luxuriant.

Petiole.--About 2 to 3.5 cm long.

Veins.--A rather thick midrib and normal side veins extending frommidrib to margin. The midrib on new leaves is light purple to pink incolor, later changing to light grey-green on the underside and ivorywhite on the upperside.

Variegation.--Among the midrib are dark green irregular markings thatoccupy 50% of the leaf surface.

Color.--Upper surface: The background of older or mature leaves iswhite-grey 156 B. On the leaf there is a dark green 139 A marking, whichchanges with clear surroundings from dark grey green 189 A to light grey190 A to 190 B. The younger leaves have the same 139 A marking, whichalso changes from 189 A to light grey 190 A-190 B, but the background ismore white-yellow, 160 C. Lower surface: The lower surface has the samewhite-yellow 160 C color as on the upper surface. The dark marking isnot present on the lower surface, but can be seen through from the uppersurface. Upper surface midrib: The upper surface midrib is red 62 B tored-pink 73 B. Lower surface midrib: The lower surface midrib is thesame red 62 B to red-pink 73 B. Petiole: The color of the petiole is red62 B to red-pink 73 B.

Inflorescence: Insignificant.

Reproductive organs: Normal.

Roots: Good rooting system.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ficus elastica named Sylvie,as illustrated and described.